1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article holder. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an article support device that is particularly suited for attachment to an automobile steering wheel or for use as an article stand on a flat surface.
Many individuals spend a great deal of time parked in their vehicles while on lunch breaks, between jobs, waiting for their children and the like. During this time, they may want to eat a meal, read a book, do work or partake in another activity that utilizes this free time. However, it can be difficult to balance a book, magazine, sandwich or other item directly on a vehicle steering wheel or on one's lap. Drivers may further have difficulty locating a flat surface in a vehicle to rest their belongings upon. The present invention provides a working surface and support device that enables a user to secure items on a steering wheel. The working surface rests against the steering wheel while a ledge vertically supports items placed thereon. The device may also be utilized outside of an automobile, in the home or office for instance, thereby offering users a device to support articles in several situations utilizing the same device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of devices have been created that attach to different parts of a vehicle and provide a support means for books, laptops, food or drinks. Article support devices often provide a small support shelf for the book to rest on or a pair of clamps for holding the book in place. Laptop holders offer larger shelf portions; however such shelves are typically angled away from the user for ergonomic reasons. These devices are therefore unsuitable for retaining food and drink items because they do not provide a stable, horizontal shelf that is capable of securing of such items. Additionally these devices do not feature modular mounting elements that would enable the device to be used in a freestanding position while continuing to support articles on a flat working surface.
Food holding devices have been created to address the need for horizontal support of such items. These typically provide an adjustable table member for placing food and beverages upon. These devices lack a back portion adapted for supporting a book, magazine or tablet computer and are therefore unsuitable for both uses. A device is needed that is adapted to provide a user with support of a book, magazine, tablet computer, or the like, and retain food and drink items with limited risk of such items falling onto the floor or a user's lap.
The prior art contains a variety of article support devices for automobiles. These devices have familiar design and structural elements for the purposes of maintaining a book or magazine in an upright position for an automobile user to read; however they are not adapted for the task of holding food and drink simultaneous to the display of a book or magazine. They are also not adapted to perform this task in a freestanding position on a flat surface such as a table or desk using the same attachment elements as used to secure the device to a steering wheel.
Caradimos, U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,789 discloses a steering wheel workstation support provided for mounting a laptop computer. The steering wheel workstation support contains a support portion with a lip, a hook arrangement, and a standoff member integrally formed from a single piece of material. The support portion lip secures the laptop base and is not height adjustable. The hook arrangement attaches the workstation support to the steering wheel. The standoff member, located on the back of the support portion, causes the lower end of the support portion to be displaced from a lower part of the steering wheel so as to present the laptop keyboard and display at ergonomically desirable angles. In addition, the workstation support may be placed on a horizontal surface so as to present the laptop display to viewers. The workstation support of Caradimos includes a standoff member that positions the device at a larger angle to the steering wheel than the present invention. This increased incline is undesirable for placing drinks and food items upon, which may fall over and spill due to the angle of incline. The standoff member allows the device to be utilized on a table or desk by providing a support for the device to rest on, however the standoff member is not adjustable to allow a user to vary the vertical pitch of the device.
Sullivan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,314 discloses a skeletal computer support device which has: (a) rigid side rails against which the data processing unit of the computer rests, (b) rests at the lower ends of the side rails on which the data processing unit is seated, and (c) hooks at the upper ends of the side rails for connecting the device in an easy to affix and remove fashion to a vehicular steering wheel with the computer keyboard readily accessible to, and comfortable to use by, an occupant of the vehicle. Upper and lower crosspieces integrate the side rails into a rigid inflexible structure. The lower ends of the side rails do not have adjustable height. Restraints at the ends of the lower crosspiece keep the computer from shifting from side-to-side while it is being used. The skeletal frame structure of Sullivan's laptop support is inappropriate and undesirable for use in supporting non-rigid magazines and food & drink items. Such items may easily fall and spill on the floor of an automobile or in a user's lap if not properly supported by a solid backing.
Richter, U.S. Patent No. 6,148,738 discloses a laptop table adapted to be mounted on a steering wheel, a basic body has at one end spaced hooks forming a support structure for supporting the base body on the steering wheel. The table is mounted on the base body so as to be height adjustable and pivot structure is provided for pivotally supporting the table on the base body and locking it in a particular angular pivot position with respect to the base body. The laptop support member of Richter is flexible and angles downward away from the body of the device. Richter does not disclose a shelf lip disposed along the free end of the support member that would prevent items from sliding off of the supporting member surface. This structure is undesirable for the placement of books or magazines upon, as they would be otherwise unsupported. Similarly, the supporting member is unsuitable for the placement of beverages and food, since they would also slide down the incline and onto the lap of a user.
Meeus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,585 discloses a device with supporting tray adapted for mounting on the steering wheel of a vehicle, comprising: (a) a rigid panel with two parallel folding lines so as to divide the panel in three parts, namely a first central part, a second part with an opening and a third part, the opening being adapted for being moved downwards so that the wheel partly passes through the opening and so that edges of the opening are supported by the wheel, and (b) a link for linking the third part and the first part together so as to maintain the third part substantially horizontal. Meeus does not disclose a third part of the device having a shelf lip disposed along its free edge. The lack of a restraining structure makes Meeus undesirable for use as a book holder since the edges of books may slide forward and fall without the support provided therefrom. Additionally, the lack of a shelf lip may result in food falling onto a user's lap or onto the floor. Meeus also fails to contemplate the use of hooks for attaching the device to a steering wheel. The supporting tray of Meeus does not provide height adjustability as provided in the present invention.
Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,035 discloses a novel compact and rigid food-serving tray horizontally attached to an automobile steering wheel at any elevation regardless of the steering wheels inclination to the vertical. The tray being supported on the steering wheel by two right angle frames slidably engaging longitudinal slots on each side of the bottom of the tray. The transverse portions of the frames are inwardly turned towards each other and have means for adjusting the spacing therebetween. While the device may be vertically adjusted with respect to the steering wheel, Clark does not disclose the tray member being height adjustable with respect to the device. A leak-proof beverage container well is located on the front center of the tray for holding cans, bottles, glasses and so forth. Clark does not disclose a back member for supporting a book or magazine, nor does it disclose a pair of hooks for attaching the device to a steering wheel.
Kanehl, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,493 discloses a table for supporting objects within a vehicle. The inventive device includes a pair of mounting brackets securable to a door or seat of the associated vehicle. A table member is coupled to the mounting brackets by an adjustment assembly, which permits vertical movement of the tray relative to the brackets. The device of Kanehl is intended for use with a seat or door, not a steering wheel. Kanehl does not disclose a backing member that would allow a book or magazine to rest thereupon.
Russell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,788 discloses a portable writing desk is the subject of the present invention. The desk is particularly designed for use on a vehicle steering wheel. A flat surface is provided for resting against the steering wheel and a plurality of hooks extend from the surface for engagement over the rim of the wheel. A writing surface is disposed in spaced relationship to the flat surface and is inclined in the same direction as the steering wheel. The writing surface is hinged so as to provide access to an inner cavity, which holds papers, writing instruments, etc. The writing desk is not height adjustable with respect to the steering wheel. The portable writing desk may also be used in the lap of a person or on a flat planar surface and, in this manner, provides for an incline writing surface that is comfortable and convenient. The device of Russell does not disclose a portion that supports the bottom edge of a book or magazine, or one that allows food and drinks to be placed thereupon. Russell also does not disclose a shelf lip disposed along the lower edge of the table that would reduce the risk of falling from the table surface.
Guo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,878 discloses a book holder for use with an automobile steering wheel that is not only fastened to the rim of an automobile or truck steering wheel so as to hold printed matter and various electronic devices, but also is foldable to smaller size for storage. The book holder can also be used as a desk to read and write on it and can be installed or removed from the steering wheel within seconds. This book holder includes two built-in elastic bands to prevent unexpected book turning pages and two elastic loops for holding the pens. Guo does not disclose a lower portion that extends from a first side of the device to a second. It also does not disclose a shelf lip member for preventing books, food, and other items from falling from the lower portion. The shelf of Guo pivots upward towards the upper portion but is not modularly height adjustable.
None of the above mentioned prior art devices disclose the use of securing hooks that are pivotally adjustable to provide support for the device in a free-standing position or while in a stationary vehicle. The devices disclosed by the prior art similarly fail to address the need for a steering wheel-mounted article stand that is adapted to support food and drink items. The current invention relates to a device for retaining a book or magazine in an upright position while allowing food or drink items to be simultaneously supported, in either a steering wheel supported configuration or in a freestanding position. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art; consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to the existing steering wheel article support devices for automobiles. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.